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Baltimore property owners angered over seized property

The goal of the city's Vacants to Value Program is to revitalize Baltimore neighborhoods. The city takes over vacant properties and auctions them off to buyers ready to fix them up, but some property owners claim the city uses excessive and heavy-handed tactics to do that.

The goal of the city's Vacants to Value Program is to revitalize Baltimore neighborhoods. The city takes over vacant properties and auctions them off to buyers ready to fix them up, but some property owners claim the city uses excessive and heavy-handed tactics to do that.

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Updated: 6:01 PM EST Feb 29, 2016

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WEBVTT HEAVY-HANDED TACTICS TO DO THAT. REPORTER BARRY SIMMS EXPLAINS. BARRY: INSPECTIONS HAVE STARTED ON THE HOUSE, AND WE ARE TWO THIRDS OF THE WAY. >> LEONARD HAS EVERY INTENTION OF COMPLETING THE REHAB OF THIS HOUSE, BUT HE SAYS BALTIMORE CITY TOOK IT, CLAIMING -- >> THAT IT WAS ABANDONED AND VACANT. BARRY: HE SAYS, THAT'S NOT TRUE. STILL, THE CITY WENT TO COURT AND SOLD THE HOUSE AT PUBLIC AUCTION, SAYING IT RECEIVED COMPLAINTS. THE OWNER CALLS THE CITY'S ACTIONS OVERLY AGGRESSIVE AND IS FIGHTING TO GET THE HOUSE BACK. A SIMILAR BATTLE OVER THIS HOUSE ON SOUTH CENTRAL AVENUE NEAR BELL'S POINT.AN ATTORNEY REPRESENTING THE OWNER CLAIMS THE CLIENT RECEIVED NO NOTICE, AND WHILE OUT OF THE COUNTRY, THE CASE WENT TO COURT. THE PROPERTY WAS $100,000, SOLD AT AUCTION FOR $5,000. >> IT'S OUTRAGEOUS. I BELIEVE IT IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL. IT'S UNFAIR, AND IT'S UNJUST. BARRY: GARY MASLIN THINKS THE CITY SNATCHED AWAY THE OWNERS OPPORTUNITY TO REDEVELOP THE PROPERTY, THE WHOLE PROCESS TAKING JUST FOUR MONTHS. IT ENABLES THE CITY TO MOVE AT BLITZKRIEG SPEED TO SEIZE AN INDIVIDUAL'S PROPERTY AND TURN IT OVER TO A DEVELOPER TO RENOVATE THE PROPERTY. >> I THINK IT'S A LAND GRAB. BARRY: JOSEPH OWNS OF THIS HOUSE AND WAVERLY. HE SAYS IT'S IN THE STORK WORK IN PROGRESS. HE CUT OFF THE WATER AND ELECTRICITY SINCE NO ONE IS LIVING HERE. >> I THINK THEY ILLEGALLY TOOK IT FROM ME. TO ME, IT IS STILL MY HOUSE, AND IT'S UNOCCUPIED. BARR CITY HOUSING ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER JASON HESSLER SAYS INSPECTORS DECLARED ALL THREE HOUSES VACANT NUISANCE PROPERTIES. >> WE ARE GOING OUT THERE AND ENFORCING THE CODE. BARR IS THE CITY ACTING AGGRESSIVELY IN TRYING TO GET THIS HANDLED? >> YOU CAN SAY THAT THE CITY IS AGGRESSIVE TOWARDS THE VACANCY PROBLEM. BARRY: OWNERS GET 30 DAYS TO FIX VIOLATIONS, MORE TIME IF THEY CAN SHOW THEY ARE DILIGENTLY MAKI REPAIRS. IF NOT, IT'S OFF TO COURT WHERE THEY MUST PROVE THEY HAVE THE FINANCES AND ABILITY TO GET THE WORK DONE. THE CITY SAYS THE COURT PROCES NORMALLY TAKES 6-7 MONTHS, ALTHOUGH THIS HOUSE WENT INTO RECEIVERSHIP AND SOLD QUICKER, JUST FOUR MONTHS. ONCE IN RECEIVERSHIP, REPARTEE OWNERS HAVE LITTLE RECOURSE. >> THAT'S CRAZY. BARRY: JOSEPH'S HOUSE HAS NOT GONE ON THE AUCTION BLOCK YET. HE CLAIMS HE SPENT $1300 RESOLVING VIOLATIONS. HE SAYS THE CITY WANTS THEM TO PROVE HE CAN SPEND ANOTHER $12,000 TO BRING THIS -- THE HOUSE INTO COMPLIANCE. LEONARD'S HOUSE SOLD FOR $175,000 AT AUCTION. HE AND SOME FRIENDS REMOVED FIXTURES HE HAD INSTALLED, TELLING THE I-TEAM THEY WALKED IN THE OPEN FRONT DOOR. I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO CALL THE CITY AND ACCESS THE HOUSE. I CAME HERE TODAY, AND THE DOOR WAS CRACKED. BARRY: THE CITY IS TAKING HIM TO COURT OVER THAT, CLAIMING AFTER THE AUCTION, HE HAD NO RIGHT TO REENTER OR REMOVE ANYTHING. FOR THE 11 NEWS I-TEAM, I AM BARRY SIMMS. STAN: BARRY SAYS THE CITIES PROGRAM TARGETS HOMES IN AREAS WHERE REDEVELOPMENT IS BEGINNING.

Baltimore property owners angered over seized property

The goal of the city's Vacants to Value Program is to revitalize Baltimore neighborhoods. The city takes over vacant properties and auctions them off to buyers ready to fix them up, but some property owners claim the city uses excessive and heavy-handed tactics to do that.